Turlock Teen Dies in ATV Accident

TURLOCK -- A Turlock family and a school are mourning the loss of 16-year-old Kaden Farro.

“He just had such a beautiful balance about him. He was adventuresome. He was cautious. He was exuberant. He was quiet and pensive,” said his mother, Maureen Shamgochian.

Farro was killed in an all-terrain vehicle crash over the weekend while working at his family's ranch, something he had done countless times.

“He was kind of near the end of his shift for the day and, evidently, tried to make a U-turn on the ATV and it flipped and somehow tossed him to the ground,” his mother told FOX40.

Shamgochian said the ATV landed on top of him.

He wasn't wearing a helmet.

“It wasn't required that he wore a helmet. We don’t know if it would have saved his life but, certainly, we encourage that kids wear helmets,” Shamgochian said. “He was a good driver for his age, you know. He didn't take big risks.”

Farro was in his junior year at Turlock High School and recently joined the Future Farmers of America agricultural program. His family said he excelled at his agricultural engineering classes, where he was learning to work with farming equipment.

“It's a very sad thing. It's a tragic accident,” his stepfather told FOX40. “I'm going to miss that boy so much.”

Now, just days after Farro’s tragic death, his family is focusing on his life.

“He was joyful,” Shamgochian said. “When he walked into a room, the room was a brighter, happier place. ... And no matter the situation, he was going to make the situation better.”

His family, though devastated, said knowing Farro was devoted to his faith has helped them go on.

“We've thought about his name and his importance and he had such purpose in his life, his short 16 years. But, you know, Kaden Matthew Farro was K.M.F. and I think going forward, just telling kids that just keep moving forward,” his mother said.